Target



(No Model.) 2 S'he ttttttttttt 2.

TARGET. No. 473,332. lPan'entedAp'r. v19, 1892.

STATES THOMAS P. NELSON, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

TARGET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 473,332, dated April19, 1892.

Application tiled August 14| 1891. Serial No. 402,609. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. NELSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMilitary Targets; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the sam e,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in military targets; and theobjects of the invention are, [i1-st, to provide an improved targetwhich is impenetrable to the bullets or shot of a rilieman shooting at arange and which is readily adjustable or convertible into a long orshort range target-as, for instance, a three-hundred, four-hundred,tivehnndred, or six-hundred yards target or an eight-hundred,nine-l1undred,or one-thousand yards target; second, to provide secureprotection to the marker or attendant who is stationed near the targetto signal the marksman the result of the shooting, and, finally, toenable the marker to signal the nature or result of the shot to therifleman with entire safety to the marker and without the least dangerto the marker unless through his own carelessness.

With these and other ends in View my invention consists in the novelcombination of devices and peculiar construction and arrangement ofparts, Which will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in theclaims.

To enable others to understand my invention, I have illustrated the samein the accompanying drawings, in whichf Figure l is a front View of amilitary target embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side View thereof,said Views showing the target in position for use. Fig. 3 is a rearelevation of the target, showing the same in position for use. Fig. 4 isa sectional View through the target on the line a: a: of Fig. l. Fig. 5is a sectional View somewhat similar to Fig. 4, but showing the targetfolded up. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the score-signaling device. Fig. 7is a detail view of the shield for prosame.

In my improved military target I use a metallic impenetrable sheet orplate, as distinguished from paper, Wood, or other materials whichrequire constant renewing after being in use for a short time. Besides,the metallic sheet affords greater protection to the marker or attendantstationed at the target to signal the riiieman the result of theshooting, thereby dispensing with the construction of butts forshielding the marker from the bullets.

This metallic plate or sheet 1 is provided on y,

both sides With the usual concentric rings and center constituting thediagram or chart for the ritleman to aim at, and this metallic sheet orplate is mounted so as to be reversed orinverted to bring the differentcharts into position,and thereby adapt the target for long and shortranges. The rings or diagram on each side of the target plate or shieldis formed by grooving or cutting out the design in the metal of theplate or sheet, after which the rings and center are coated with paintof one color, while the body or remaining portion of the sheet is coatedwith another color suitable for bringing out the design or chart. Thusthe rings and center may be painted black and the body of the targetWhite, as is usual,

or any other combination of colors may be used.

The target plate or shield is arranged and hung within a suitablestoutframe 2 of Wood or any other suitable material in a manner whichpermits or insures ready reversal of the sheet to bring either of thetwo diagrams or charts into position for use. Thus the diagram on oneside is smaller than the diagram -on the opposite side of the plate orsheet, the one being adapted to short-range firing, while the other tolong-range tiring. The frame 2 is IOO constructed in a substantial anddurable manner, and said frame is somewhat larger in area or size thanthe sheet or plate l. to provide a continuous opening or space 3entirely around the target sheet or plate and between the saine and theframe for the purpose of swingi ng or reversing the plate or sheet. Thisreversible sheetor plate is hung on trunnions et which are rigidlyattached to the plate or sheet and which work or are journaled in steelwashers or bearings 0, which are rigid with the substantial frame 2. Then. an n er of arranging the trunnions or pivots and the connection ofthe several parts are not inaterial, although I prefer to use thehorizontal trunnions, as shown in the drawings; but it is evident thatthe tru unions and bearings there for can be placed vertically withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

In order to hold or keep the target sheet or plate in position au d atthe saine time prevent a bullet from passing through the space 3 betweenthe reversible sheet and the frame 2, provided for the support of thesheet, I resort to the use of the closing-strips 7, S, f), and lO andthe swinging doors ll l2, which etfectually close said opening or spaceand serve to protect the marker or attendant from being injured by abullet while he is stationed be hind the target. The strips are allarranged at the front side of the target, while the doors are on therear side of the target, and said strips and doors are made of steel orother metal of suitable thickness and width to prevent a bullet frompenetrating the same. The top strip 7 is hinged to the upper part of the'frame 2 to be thrown upwardly above the target-sheet. The side strips S9 are arranged on the right and left hand sides of the targetsheet andhinged to the frame 2, so as to be swung or turned outwardly to the sideof the sheet or plate l, and the bottom strip l() is hinged to the loweredge of the frame 2, so as to be turned downward. Then the severalstrips are turned away from the sheet or plate, the latter can bereversed or swung around, provided the doors 1l l2 at the rear arethrown open, and after the sheet or'plate has been reversed the stripsare closed or folded in the following order: The bottom strip l0 isturned upward, the two side strips are turned inward, and the top strip7 is turned downward, the lower ends of the side strips lapping thebottom strip and the top strip overlapping the upper ends of the twoside strips. I do not, however, wish to confine myself strictly to thisprecise arrangement of the strips, although I prefer to adopt or use thesaine, because I have found by experience that the strips etfectuallyhold the sheet or plate, in position when a bullet strikes the saine,and at the saine time the space 3 is effectually closed to prevent abullet from passing to the rear of the sheet or plate.

The doors l1 l2 are hinged to the sides of the frame 2, and they areadapted to be opened or thrown outward, so as to provide room or spacefor reversing the target. The doors are arranged to meet in the middleof the target sheet or plate, although they do not come in contact orengagement therewith, and when closed the doors are confined in placebya suitable fastening 13. I also use a catch or fastener la within theframe 2, which is adapted to engage with the edge ot' the sheet or platel and to hold the saine in a'tixcd steady position.

rlhe doers l l l2 are arranged some distance in rear of the reversiblesheet or plate l, so as to leave a space or chamber 15 between tlicsheet or plate and the doors when the latter are closed, and this spaceis utilized for the storage of the signaling device, the tiags,paintpots, the., when the target is not in use.l

The signaling device consists, essentially, of a box or casing 17, aseries of disks 1S, and acoininon shaft or pin 19,which passes throughthe casing and the disks to pivotally connect 'the disks to thecasingand enable the marker to adjust or expose any one of tliedisks.The casing is provided on one side with lugs or ears 20, which haveopenings or holes to re ceive fixed pins on the frame 2 of the target,thereby enabling the marker or attendant to hang or suspend the casingin the rearot the target, where he can operate either one of the disksto expose the saine to the View of the inarksinan or ritleman andindicate to the latter the number of points or the position where thebullet struck the target. rlhe casing is suspended or hung on the frame2, so that the signal-disks can be elevated above the target; but it isobvious that the casing may be suspended on the targetframe to cxposethe disks on either side thereof.

Each disk is provided with an extended handle or arin 22, and the disksand arms are arranged closely together within the casing, so that thesignaling device takes up little room. Each arm or handle has adepending pull-wire 24, which are ot' ditlj'erent lengths to enable theattendant to readily select the disk to be exposed. The disks arepainted differ ent colors to denote the different points or the resultsof the shots striking the target. Thus one disk may be painted white todenote the bulls-eye or center of the target. Another disk may bepainted red to denote that the bullet struck the first ring outside ofthe center. Another may be painted half white and half black to denotethe shot struck the target within the second ring. Another entirelyblack to denote if the bullet struck outside of the ring, and so on. Itis evident the color of the different signal-disks can be varied withthe code of signals that may be adopted, and I do not therefore restrictmy invention to the use of disks of any particular color.

As a further protection to the attendant or marker, I have devised ametallic shield 25, which is substantially V shape or of other angularor curved shape in cross-section. This fixed shield is arranged with itsangular or curved side outward, facin g the range, and at TOO IIO

one side of the target a little in advance thereof. The shield maybeplaced on the right or left hand side of the target and planted in theground or held in position by stakes 27, driven through sockets or ways28 in the edges ofthe shield. The marker may be stationed either behindthe target or behind the shield, which is arranged a little in advanceofthe target, and when behind the target he signals the rileman that hewill step from behind the target into position behind the shield toprevent the riieman from firing while he is obliterating the marks onthe face of the target caused by the bullets striking the same. Theattendant can efface the bullet-marks and at the same time indicate theposition of the mark to the ritieman by means of a small brush 30, whichpasses through a disk 3l, fixed to the end of a long handle or statt 32,as indicated in Fig. S of the drawings.

The operation of my invention may be brieiydescribed as follows: Themarker takes position behind the shield or the target and the marksmantires at the target. The attendant behind the advanced shield canreadily observe the position of the shot and by displaying the propersignal inform the ritieman the point where the shot struck the tar get,indicating the number of points scored. The attendant also canobliterate the bulletmark by the brush and at the same time notify theritleman the point the bullet hit the target. If it is desired to Varythe range of tiring, the tiring-point can be moved nearer or fartheraway, and the sheet or plate should be properly adjusted to expose thediagram which corresponds to the range. Thus if a short range is usedthe strips and doors are thrown open and the sheet reversed to displaythe smaller diagram or chart; but if the range is increased the sheet isadjusted to expose the larger diagram or chart, the strips and the doorsbeing always closed before permitting the rifleman to resume tiring.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and detailsof construction of the mechanism herein shown and described as anembodiment of my invention can be made without departing from the spiritor sacrilicing the advantages ot` my invention.v

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, iS-

l. In a military target, the combination, with an open frame, of areversible plate or sheet pivotally supported therein and the adjustablebarriers arranged to close the spaces between the open frame and thesheet or plate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a military target, the combination,4

tially as described. v

4. In a military target, the combination of an open frame, a sheet orplate reversible therein, and the adjustable strips hinged to .the frameand arranged when closed to overlap each other, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a military target, the combination of an open frame, a sheet orplate reversible therein, the hinged strips at the front of the frameand arranged to close the space between the frame and the sheet, and thedoors at the back -of the target, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I attix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS P. NELsoN.

IfVitnesses:

WM. C. NELSON, GEORGE W. BLACK.

